TORRINGTON >> City officials detailed their "playbook" Thursday, guiding their vision to Torrington's Main Street realignment project and all the funding being poured into making the infrastructure improvement.

In recent months, Torrington was awarded a $500,000 federal grant for sidewalk reconstruction on the east side of Main Street, along with LED lighting and upgraded storm water runoff systems. The funding adds onto a $750,000 federal grant the city received years ago to reconstruct the west side of Main Street from Mason Street to the bridge at the five-way intersection.

Mayor Ryan Bingham and Director of Economic Development Rose Ponte told the press Thursday that the projects will improve traffic flow, provide greater pedestrian access and increase on-street parking capabilities. The city, they said, is moving forward "trying to utilize grants" that are sitting in Torrington's accounts.

"We wanted this to be an opportunity to allow a plan for infrastructure improvements and [information] about the realignment project," Bingham said. "It's kind of a playbook to follow for the next three years."

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Sidewalk improvements to the west side of Main Street are expected to begin in the spring, and city officials are working with Connecticut Department of Transportation to get the project underway. According to Ponte, the transportation department will also work with City Hall on the east sidewalk project, aiming to make the improvements as seamless as possible.

Torrington is expecting to gain additional funding to improve the five-way intersection.

The project, they said, will better move traffic through downtown and provide a safer and more manageable intersection for pedestrians.

The current intersection is "inefficient and confusing to both drivers and pedestrians," a statement from City hall said.

Streetscape improvements for the south side of East Main Street sidewalks, and a river greenway on the south side of the Naugatuck River between South Main and Prospect streets will be funding through a transportation enhancement grant worth $800,000. Torrington was awarded that grant through its regional planning organization, the Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials.

"We're taking what was a plan that would cost us $15 million and condensing it into a project at little to no cost to taxpayers," Bingham said.

The city is expected to fund 20 percent of the of the Main Street sidewalk project's second phase -- the east sidewalks -- and 20 percent of the East Main Street realignment project.